Medical image processing apparatuses are known as devices (or systems) that manage and store medical data such as medical records and medical images. Medical data are created for individual patients and diagnoses. Therefore, a medical image processing apparatus must store large amounts of medical data in a readable manner.
To make it possible to identify and read out individual items of these medical data, these medical data are correlated with multiple attributes and stored in a database. Attributes include patient information such as patient ID, name and birthday or history information such as the date and time of creation or the date and time of imaging. The medical data stored in the database are read out using retrieval conditions. By designating suitable retrieval conditions, the operator narrows down the medical data read out from the database.
Conventionally, these retrieval conditions are input as character strings in a prescribed input field using a keyboard. However, to extract desired medical data using this method, it is necessary to accurately input a search formula corresponding to the system. Moreover, because search formulas differ between systems, it is necessary for operators to learn methods of designating search formulas corresponding to the system in advance.
As a method of resolving problems such as that described above, technology that makes it possible to input retrieval conditions using a displayed GUI (Graphical User Interface) has been proposed. As a result of this technology, it has become possible for operators to designate retrieval conditions through simple operations without designating any complex search formulas. However, this technology requires a dedicated operation means for inputting retrieval conditions on the display screen to be displayed on the screen. Therefore, the practical use of this technology requires a wide screen.
The embodiments of the present invention are designed to resolve the above problems, and the objective is to realize the retrieval of medical data from a database storing large amounts of medical data through simple operations.